Carrier-type conveyors



July 22; 1958 M. J. CHRISTIANSEN ETAL 2,844,243

CARRIER-TYPE coNvEYoRs Filed May 29, 195e' United States Patent OCARRIER-TYPE coNvEYoRs Milton J. Christiansen, Chicago, and William F.Stephen,

Elmwood Park, Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated,NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 29, 1956,Serial No. 588,008

4 Claims. (Cl. 198-189) This invention relates to carrier-typeconveyors, and more particularly to conveyors for pulling a plurality ofcars.

An object of the invention is to provide car-type c-onveyors havinguniversal movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide car-type conveyors inwhich the cars travel along a path having both vertical and horizontalturns.

A conveyor illustrating certain features of the invention may include aslit tube for guiding a universally movable chain and disposed along apath curving both universally and horizontally with the slit in the tubeextending along the upper turn. A pair of guide rails are secured to thetop of the tube on opposite sides of the slit and serve to supportroller-type carriages connected by links to the chains.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from thefollowing detailed description of a conveyor forming a specic embodimentthereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in whichFig. 1 i-s a top plan View of a conveyor forming one embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the conveyor shown in i Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, partially sectional, front elevation of a portionof the conveyor, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

There is shown in the drawings a car or carrier-type conveyor forconveying wire spring relays along a processing line. The conveyorincludes a tubular guide 11 having a slit 12 in the upper portionthereof and extending along a path including vertically curved portion-s14 and horizontally curved portions 15. A chain 16 of a well known typeis universally movable along the conveyor and bends through thehorizontal curves and the vertical curves with ease. Lugs 17 securedrigidly to links 18 of the chain at spaced points therealong projectupwardly through the slit in the tube and pull links 19 connected to thelugs for pivotal movement only in a vertical plane. The links 19 aresecured at the other ends thereof to lugs or tabs 20 depending fromreceptacle-type vbodies 21 of cars 22, which are supported by unilangedwheels or rollers 23 travelling along guide rails 24.

The tabs 20 are rigidly secured to the bodies of the cars 22, and thepivotal connection between the tabs 20 and the links permit pivotalmovement therebetween only in a vertical plane. Hence, as the chaincourses around a horizontal curve in the tubular guide 11, the lugs 17arev turned and turn the cars 22 through the links 19 and the tabs 20 tokeep the rolls 23 on the rails 24. By this connecting structure betweenthe cars and the chain, which prevents horizontal turning of each carrelative to the portion of the chain to which that car is connected, thecars are kept travelling in the same direction as the guide 11 andtherails 24 so that there is never any danger of derailing, and this eventhough there are no ilanges on the wheels 23. The rails 24 are welded tothe upper portions of the guide tubes. The guide tube has support posts26 secured thereto in desired positions and suitable well known drivesprocket means (not shown) are provided for engaging and pulling thechain along lthe endless path formed by the tube.

The conveyor described above is simple and inexpensive in itsconstruction, and is durable and easily maintained.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. In a conveyor, a flexible conveyor element, a tubular guide circularin cross section for guiding the conveyor element along a path includinghorizontal and vertical curves, said tube having a slit extending alongthe upper portion thereof, a lug rigidly secured to a'link of the chainand projecting upwardly through the slit, a pair of guide rails havingllat horizontal upper surfaces secured to the tube in positionsbracketing the slit, a roller car, and link means securing the car tothe lug in such a manner as to prevent horizontal pivotal movementbetween the car and the lug to locate the car in a position riding onthe rails.

2. A conveyor comprising a car having a front pair of wheels and a rearpair of wheels, a pair of tracks supporting the car and extending alonga path including a horizontally curved portion, a guide tube extendingalong and below the tracks and having a Islit in the upper portionthereof extending therealong between the rails, said guide being securedto said tracks, a universal chain movable along the tube, a lug securedrigidly to a portion of the chain in a position projecting upwardlythrough the slit in the tube, and a link connected to the lug and to thecar in such a manner as to permit vertical pivotal movement and preventhorizontal pivotal movement between the lug and the car.

3. A conveyor comprising a car having a front pair of wheels and a rearpair of wheels, a pair of track-s supporting the car and extending alonga path including horizontally curved and vertically curved portions, aguide tube secured to and supporting the tracks on the upper portionthereof and having a slit extending therealong between the rails, auniversal chain movable along the tube, a lug secured rigidly to aportion of the chain in a position projecting upwardly through the slitin the tube, and a link connected pivotally to the lug and to the carand preventing horizontal pivotal movement between the lug and the car.

4. A conveyor comprising a car having a front pair of unanged wheels anda rear pair of unanged wheels, a pair of rails supporting the car andextending along a path including horizontally curved and verticallycurved portions, a guide tube secured to and supporting the tracks onthe upper portion thereof and having a slit extending therealong betweenthe rails, a universal chain movable along the tube, a at lug securedrigidly to a portion of the chain in a position projecting upwardlythrough the slit in the tube, and a link having a flat portion connectedpivotally to the lug and a second at portion connected to the car, saidtlat portions being in vertical planes.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 741,918Mackrow et al. Oct. 20, 1903 1,000,107 Morris Aug. 8, 1911 1,412,254Meyer Apr. 11, 1922 2,737,288 Botts et al. Mar.`6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS350,006 Great Britain June 4, 1931

